σφυρόν
sphyrón
G4974 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Ankle bone; specifically, the rounded protuberance (malleolus) at the side of the ankle. As used in anatomical descriptions, refers to either the outer or inner bony prominence of the ankle joint, generally the lateral or medial malleolus. The term can denote the ankle region, particularly its bone structure, characterized by its rounded or knob-like form. Used figuratively at times for a rounded object, but primarily anatomical.
Semantic Range
ankle bone, malleolus, rounded bone at the ankle, rounded protuberance, knob-like anatomical feature
Root / Etymology
From a root σφυρ- associated with roundness or pounding (compare σφαῖρα, 'sphere', and σφύρα, 'hammer'). Related to the idea of round or protruding forms, reflecting the prominent, ball-like appearance of the malleolus at the ankle. The exact morphological derivation is from σφυρόν, neuter, with the same sense of a knob or rounded extremity. Cognate with classical Greek anatomical and mechanical terms but formed specifically for the body part.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term σφυρόν appears rarely in extant Greek literature, with its main occurrence in the New Testament (Acts 3:7) referring explicitly to the ankle bones of a person being healed, where the physical, round prominence at the ankle is in view. Attested in medical authors such as Galen to denote the malleolus; in LXX usage, the word is not common. The connection to σφαῖρα (sphere, ball) and σφῦρα (hammer) highlights that Greek anatomical vocabulary often borrowed from familiar objects to describe body parts by shape rather than by function. English 'ankle bone' is standard in translation, but in Greek the emphasis falls on the shape and prominence of the bone. There is no theological or symbolic use of the term in biblical or early Hellenistic sources. Differentiated from more general terms for 'ankle' (such as κνημή for the leg/lower leg).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
neuter of a presumed derivative probably of the same as (a ball, "sphere"; compare the feminine , a hammer); the ankle (as globular):--ancle bone.
Root Family
σφυρόν (sphyrón) — roundness, protuberance, hammer-like shape
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4974-01 |
σφυδρά | sphudra | N NOM N PL |
ankles | ankle bones | ankle bones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4974-01 |
Acts 3:7 | σφυδρά | sphudra | N NOM N PL |
ankles | ankle bones | ankle bones |